January 2009 Ian Draper, UK National WorkStress Network This equipment was donated by Thompsons...

January 2009 Ian Draper, UK National WorkStress Network

This equipment was donated by Thompsons solicitors

Stress: Still a Workplace Killer

Wednesday 14th January 2009

Stress in the workplace: Bad for Workers and Bad for Business

Ian Draper, UK National Workstress Network

Institute of Employment Rights Stress Wednesday 14th January 2009


Stress Kills?Stress Kills?

Work and its effectsCauses symptoms and effects of

stressEvidence of stress in the workplaceCosts to the individual and the

economyBlack ReportHSE Management Standards


No one should leave work

No one should leave work

at the end of th

e day, less

at the end of th

e day, less

healthy than they were

healthy than they were

when they arrived ……

when they arrived ……

Work should be health-

Work should be health-

enhancing

enhancing

TUC Vision


Definition of StressDefinition of Stress

HSE definition

“the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of demand placed upon them”


Pressure can be enjoyable...Pressure can be enjoyable...

Proportionate to need Action is possible Individual capacity is sufficient Duration is limited Reward is available There is no such thing as ‘good stress’ But what happens if pressures are uncontrollable? … … …


Who’s winning the race? ????


The body under pressureThe body under pressure

The body under normal conditionsThe body under normal conditions


The body under stress...The body under stress... No respite? = Excessive

hormone output Adrenalin - Heart rate, muscle

tension, breathing Noradrenalin, Cortisol, Thyroxin

– increase blood sugars, energy, quick reactions

Endorphins – natural pain killers Cholesterol – repairs damaged

cells, clotting agents Chronic release is harmful, auto

immune system lowered Cardiovascular illnesses,

digestive complaints, respiratory problems

Psychological illnesses, Migraines, PMT, Cancers………………………

Premature death?


What causes stress?What causes stress?

Moving House

Mortgage etc

Grief and bereavement

DivorcePregnancy & BirthTeenage troubles

Family stress

In-laws and ParentsAnd More!

ChangeLack of control Excessive demandsInsufficient informationJob insecurityPerformance pressuresAnxiety and fearBullying managersBoredomEnvironmental factors


Recognising stress - here are Recognising stress - here are somesome symptomssymptoms

Behaviour

Irritability Indecision Loss of sense of humour Feelings of anger ‘Rushing’ from one

thing to another Withdrawn/ feeling of

being victimised Feeling unable to cope Tearfulness Lack of interest in doing

things after work Constant tiredness

Physical

Loss of appetite/craving for food under pressure.

Indigestion/heartburn Constipation/diarrhoea Insomnia Tendency to sweat/Nervous

habits Headaches/Cramps muscle

spasms Nausea, Breathlessness Fainting spells Loss of libido Eczema Cardio-vascular illness and

cancers

Do you recognise any of this in yourself or others?


Coping Strategies?Coping Strategies?Cary Cooper studied stress in teachers

AlcoholAlcohol88% drank 11+ units21% drank 20+ units22% used it to relieve stress

AlcoholAlcohol88% drank 11+ units21% drank 20+ units22% used it to relieve stress

SmokingSmoking19% smoked37% had increased smoking9% used it torelieve stress

SmokingSmoking19% smoked37% had increased smoking9% used it torelieve stress

Prescribed medicationPrescribed medication28% on anti-depressants23% on sleepingpills

Prescribed medicationPrescribed medication28% on anti-depressants23% on sleepingpills

Leaving the jobLeaving the job65% had actively soughtto leave27% still seekingto go

Leaving the jobLeaving the job65% had actively soughtto leave27% still seekingto go


What to do?What to do?

Relax Eat healthily Exercise Prioritise Be assertive Take time out Have a laugh!!

But, coping strategies alone are not the solution


TUC Safety Representative TUC Safety Representative SurveysSurveys

Stress Listed 66% 56% 58% 61% 60%

Stress Factors 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008

Workload 74% 80% 79% 76% 73%

Staffing Cuts 53% 50% 49% 57% 58%

Change 44% 52% 47% 53% 50%

Long Hours 39% 41% 37% 34% 35%

Bullying 30% 28% 27% 33% 40%


What are the costs of What are the costs of workplace stress?workplace stress?

13 million days a year, work-related stress is the biggest occupational cause of lost working days across the economy

Over half a million individuals in Britain experience work-related stress at levels which make them ill.

CBI 2004 survey of 500 firms, found the average private industry worker took 7.2 days off sick per year.

Nationally private sector believes sick-leave costs £1.75 billion with

the loss of at least 25 million working days in a year. What impact is this having? What action is being taken to reduce this drain on the

workforce and the economy?


WORK Kills, Injures and WORK Kills, Injures and Makes us sick!Makes us sick!

Official Figures GROSSLY under estimate ill-health due to work

HSE Headline figs: 241 killed by work 2006/7 2,037 deaths due to mesothelioma + same lung cancer 6,000 cases of occupational cancer per year - 4% 2.2 million made ill by work - 646,000 new cases 36 million working days lost – 30 million due to work

related ill-health, 6 million due to workplace injury

Incident deaths are tip of iceberg…… HSE est. deaths due to occ illness at about 10,000


Hazards and other more Hazards and other more realistic estimatesrealistic estimates

1,500 to 1,700 killed in work related incidents every year

HSE figs 241 + members of the public 369 (246 suicides or trespass on railways) = 610

About 30 at sea About 1,000 in work-related road traffic

incidents About 100-250 suicides


Hazards Campaign estimates of Hazards Campaign estimates of deaths due to Work-Related deaths due to Work-Related illnessillness

Up to 50,000 killed by work related illness Includes 18,000 by work-related cancer at 12% (8-

16%) at least 5,000 due to asbestos cancers Heart Disease – 20% of deaths work related due

to stress, long hours, shift work = up to 20,000 Respiratory Illness -15-20% of obstructive lung

disease = about 6,000 Other diseases inc. restrictive lung diseases =

about 6,000 Giving Total of up to 50,000 per year- HSE headline figs 241 killed by work!!

About 100-250 suicides


Costs – individual and Costs – individual and corporatecorporate

The individual’s health, well-being, family and relationships

Sick pay costs, loss of income, loss of position and career development

Employer costs of lost work, replacement worker, loss of continuity and expertise

National costs through Benefits, medication, treatments and long-term absence


Stress and Mental Health: the scale of Stress and Mental Health: the scale of the problemthe problem

11 million working age people are affected by mental health problems

The cost GB economy > £40 million year In England, these cost:

– £15.1 billion due to presenteeism– £8.4 billion due to absenteeism

Compared with other disorders, mental health problems account for more:– claimants of incapacity benefit (41% of

the total - up from 26% 10 years ago)– new claimants of DLA (23% of the total)

(Royal Coll of Psych)


Wider effects of Mental Wider effects of Mental Health problemsHealth problems

Labour supply:– 0.9m of people not currently

working due to mental health problems, could realistically be considered employable

– Losses from long-term absence associated with non-employment are 2.6x as large as those from short-term absence

– If all employed, the UK workforce would increase by 3%


Quantifying the costs of Quantifying the costs of Mental Health at WorkMental Health at Work

Cost of replacing staff:

• average cost of job change to employers = £11,625

• £2.4bn spread over the workforce = £95 per employee

Costs of reduced productivity at work attributable to mental health:

• accounts for 1.5x as much time lost as absenteeism

• equivalent of £605 for every employee in the UK workforce

Costs of reduced productivity at work attributable to mental health:

• accounts for 1.5x as much time lost as absenteeism

• equivalent of £605 for every employee in the UK workforce

Costs of sickness absence:

• 40% sick days are due to mental health

• directly work related absences are estimated to cost £1.26bn a year - £50 per employee

Costs of sickness absence:

• 40% sick days are due to mental health

• directly work related absences are estimated to cost £1.26bn a year - £50 per employee

Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health, 2007


How does this affect How does this affect different occupations?different occupations?

Presenteeism costs more to employers than absence – more likely amongst higher paid staff

Younger workers are more likely to be absent from work for short durations

Training for line managers, forms of intervention, etc. need to be tailored to individual sectors so that the delivery is targeted


ConclusionsConclusions

Stress and Mental Health are major problems which need to be tackled

Responsibility for tackling them is shared – government, healthcare professionals, line managers, employees


Seeking the Solution?Seeking the Solution?

Undertaking a full and effective commitment to the identification and eradication of the causes of work-related stress – risk assessment approach across the board in every workplace

Adopting a ‘Dignity at Work’ approach Creating a ‘caring supportive culture’ Developing a meaningful and effective

understanding of mental health in the workplace


HSE Stress Management HSE Stress Management StandardsStandards

Online Assessment tool supporting risk Online Assessment tool supporting risk assessment approach to:-assessment approach to:-

Demand – including workload, work patterns and environment

Control – how much say a person has in the way they do their work

Support – includes sponsorship, encouragement and resources provided by the organisation and colleagues

Relationships – including with all levels of co-employees, managers etc

Role – relating to all aspects of job requirements

Organisational Change – structural and organisational changes


Stress – still a killer in the Stress – still a killer in the workplaceworkplace

Impact of the Recession Business closures Job uncertainties Finance sector Loss of overtime, work, home and

possessions



Making a special case?– investing for the future through

increased focus on H&S;– avoidance of unnecessary additional

stress levels;– keeping staff engaged with open

consultation and information exchange;– ensuring stress policy implementation



Regular E-Newsletters on line Information PackAnnual Conference, November 21/22 2009 Hazards Campaign in UK and Europe www.workstress.net


they must be fit for it;they must be fit for it;they must not do too much of it;they must not do too much of it;

and and they must have a sense of success they must have a sense of success

in itin it..

And finallyAnd finally … … … … … …

In order that people may be In order that people may be happy in their work, these happy in their work, these three things are needed …three things are needed …


www.workstress.net

January 2009 Ian Draper, UK National WorkStress Network This equipment was donated by Thompsons...

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Transcript of January 2009 Ian Draper, UK National WorkStress Network This equipment was donated by Thompsons...